This beloved recipe for Sweet and Sour Ribs features tender pork ribs coated in a tangy, sticky sauce that perfectly balances rich, savoury flavours with a hint of sweetness. Garnish Sweet and Sour Ribs with toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onions.
Sweet And Sour Ribs Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
700 g (1 lb 9 oz) pork ribs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 slices of ginger
2 spring onions (scallions), cut into 7 cm (2¾ in) batons
5 tablespoons sugar (or 2 large lumps of rock sugar)
3 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (black vinegar), plus 1 tablespoon extra
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
To serve
Sesame seeds, toasted
Spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
Method:
Cut the pork ribs into bite-sized pieces and rinse them under cold water. Blanch the pork ribs in a pot of boiling water for 3–5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse the ribs under cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium heat. Add the blanched pork ribs, smashed garlic, sliced ginger and spring onions to the pan. Sprinkle sugar (or rock sugar) over the ribs, then pour in the 3 tablespoons of Chinkiang vinegar, the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Stir everything to combine.
Add enough water to the pan to just cover the ribs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and braise the ribs for about 30 minutes, or until they are tender.
Uncover the pan and remove the ginger, garlic and spring onion pieces. Increase the heat to medium and add the extra 1 tablespoon of Chinkiang vinegar. Cook the sauce down, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and forms a glossy glaze that coats the ribs.
Once the ribs are nicely glazed, remove them from the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onions. Serve the sweet and sour ribs hot.
This is an edited extract from The Wolf of Wok Street by Vincent Lim, published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $45 AUD/$50 NZD. Available in stores nationally from the 30th of September. Photography by Alana Dimou.
